When compiling your holiday gratitude list, don’t forget one of our most precious South Bay treasures – Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, one of the country’s leading nonprofit medical research institutes.

Now known as LA BioMed, the institute is engaged in more than 1,000 cutting-edge studies, and its 150 world- class researchers have been performing medical miracles since 1952.

At LA BioMed’s recent Blueprint for Discovery gala dinner, at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, guests learned just how remarkable a gift LA BioMed has been, not only to individuals benefiting from its medical innovations here, but around the world.

Among their long list of achievements, doctors and researchers at the institute created the paramedic model for emergency care that is widely used today. They also devised the modern cholesterol test as well as the thyroid deficiency test.

They created artificial lung fluids that have saved thousands of premature babies, and they performed the world’s first ovum transplant – a procedure that so far has resulted in 47,000 births to infertile couples in the U.S. alone.

This is just a sampling of LA BioMed’s commitment to take on the most challenging medical problems. Among the hundreds of ongoing studies is a therapy to treat sickle cell disease and new strategies to prevent type II diabetes – an international pandemic – along with a way to prevent blindness in children in developing nations.

More than 500 guests purchased tickets at $275 each to help raise funds for LA BioMed. The dinner, which raised $230,000, honored Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and Anne-Merelie Murrell, president of Giroux Glass Co. Inc. and a longtime community volunteer.

Former Olympian Rafer Johnson, along with his wife, Betsy, served as honorary chairpersons. Johnson summed up the evening’s enthusiasm: “By the number of people assembled in this room,” he said, “I can tell that there are many others who share my appreciation of what LA BioMed does.”

The evening kicked off with a reception and silent auction, followed by dinner and a video of the institute’s medical achievements. Johnson introduced gala chairwomen Jennifer Laity and Joyce Brown, who thanked committee members.

Members of area service clubs once again are doing the work of Santa’s elves at Christmas tree lots around the South Bay. When choosing your tree, why not support a local nonprofit.

The Hermosa Beach Kiwanis Club tree lot is at the corner of Pier Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway for the 23rd straight year. Members expect to sell more than 2,000 noble and Douglas firs, along with fragrant rosemary trees and colorful wreaths, garlands and door swags.

The trees have been blessed by a clergyman from St. Cross Episcopal Church in Hermosa Beach, according to Paul Amarillas, who co-manages the lot with his wife, Yvonne.

All proceeds will go to area charities such as PS I Love You, Sunshine Kids, Children’s Miracle Network, American Cancer Society Relay for Life, Project Touch, and 1736 House, as well as special needs groups, emergency relief, pediatric trauma care, school projects and youth scholarships.

The lot receives fresh shipments throughout the season, and trees can be fireproofed and delivered to your home.

All proceeds benefit YMCA programs, camperships, scholarships, and community and international programs.

Also in Torrance, at 1008 Sartori Ave., the Switzer Learning Center tree lot is stocked with Douglas and noble firs, and staff can provide flocking.

Proceeds will go toward the center’s educational and clinical programs for children with learning, emotional, social, behavioral and developmental disabilities.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily through Dec. 23.

Cause for `Sellabration’

It was a record-setting year for the Providence Little Company of Mary Foundation’s Sellabration Gala, presented by American Honda Motor Co.

The annual black-tie party, held at the Los Angeles Millennium Biltmore Hotel’s Crystal Ballroom, raised $690,000 for Providence LCM charitable care and community outreach programs. More than 500 guests joined in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Little Company of Mary Sisters’ work in Southern California.

Also during the elegant evening, more than $2.5million in fundraising commitments and pledges were announced.

Foundation trustees Paula Del Vicario and Shelley Joyce served as co-chairwomen for the event.

In addition to American Honda, major sponsors included the Centofante Family, a diamond sponsor; and platinum sponsors Advanced Imaging of the South Bay Inc.; Affiliated Pathologists Medical Group; DASCO; Emergency Specialist Physicians Medical Associates Inc; the Jacqueline Glass Family; Jim and Joanne Hunter; the Jakovich Co.; Chuck and Betsy Miller; Ralphs; the Scharffenberger Family and Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.

For more information, call 310-303-5340.

Food for Kids

Individuals and groups can help make the holiday and new year brighter for needy families thanks to the Volunteer Center’s Food For Kids program. The center created its most recent outreach program upon discovering that while children in Title One schools receive food at school during the week, they often go hungry at home during the weekends.

The Volunteer Center’s pilot program began with a Compton school.

The public is invited to bring food to the Volunteer Center or other South Bay drop-off locations where it will be sorted, put into backpacks by volunteers, and delivered to needy students on Fridays. On the following Mondays, children return the empty bags, which are refilled for the following weekend.

One young backpack recipient reflected on the gift: “When I receive a backpack, I feel very joyful knowing that there are people that care and love us. My mom feels very happy because my dad isn’t working, and she knows that because of the backpack she can put food on our table.”

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